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From the Vaults — Archives Are Always Essential

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This series celebrates all the great information that exists in ArchivesAWARE!

This post originally published on the blog on April 6, 2021, captures information from a 2020 webinar that explores how archivists can navigate challenges in demonstrating our value to various stakeholders.

On October 22, 2020, Ryan Anthony Donaldson & Rachael Cristine Woody presented the webinar “Archives Are Always Essential” to 280 attendees. Below is a summary of the webinar complete with key takeaways, a summary of questions and answers, and a list of resources.

Many of us in the field know that archives are essential, but sometimes it feels like a best-kept secret. It’s challenging to convey the true value of our collections despite our best efforts with digital content, social media, and other outreach and awareness activities. It’s time to unleash the full potential of heritage collections and archives and we’ll show you how. This webinar will review historic outreach challenges, and how they’ve been compounded and complicated by larger global events in 2020. And in honor of Archives Month, we will explore proactive and actionable responses to these challenges–including relevant examples and additional voices.

Rachael Cristine Woody, Owner of Rachael Cristine Consulting. Photo courtesy of Rachael Cristine Consulting.

Co-Presenter: Rachael Woody is the owner of Rachael Cristine Consulting LLC. After a successful tenure at the Smithsonian Institution and the Oregon Wine History Archive, Woody established her consultancy to teach archives, museums, and cultural heritage organizations how to take care of their collections and advocate for their value. Woody has experienced precariously funded positions first-hand and has proven tactical strategies to demonstrate the value of collection work. As a result of her experience, Woody has dedicated herself to advocating for the value of collection work. She serves on SAA’s Committee on Public Awareness, established the Archivist-in-Residence (paid internship) program at Northwest Archivists, and serves on several salary advocacy committees.

Co-Presenter: Ryan Anthony Donaldson is a content strategist, information professional, and project consultant passionate about the creative and targeted uses of heritage content and archives. Donaldson previously worked as Senior Manager of Heritage and Information Services for The Durst Organization in New York City, conceptualizing and implementing a corporate archive program. He serves on the Archives Month Committee of Washington State and previously with the Business Archives Steering Committee with the Society of American Archivists.

To download a copy of the slide deck visit: https://bit.ly/3kfH9iw.

Key Takeaways

Our Perspective as Business Owners

  • Effectively communicating the value of archives in a variety of ways is vital for archives consultants.
  • Owning a business, whether sole proprietorship, LLC, or otherwise, requires a mindset to focus on what you see with inherent untapped value and presenting opportunities as relatable. 

Background

  • SAA Council on Public Awareness survey results show an interest in the archivist community in (1) How to create effective programs & activities & (2) How to promote from within.
  • October is Archives Month and 2020 themes are: Creativity, Rights, and Resilience.
  • The Archives industry has had historical issues with conveying value, as traditional outreach methods, such as events and exhibits, face significant challenges that are compounded by impacts from COVID-19. While it can be clear to archivists the potential value of heritage collections, it can be difficult to share this vision with stakeholders.

Challenges & Needs

  • Challenges include a sense of distance and isolation as archives are closed, trauma from job layoffs and cost reductions, with many challenges remaining unresolved for the near future.
  • To meet these challenges, responses and solutions need to be convenient, address existing needs, and packaged in appropriate ways and formats.

3 Related Responses

  • 1. Pivoting
    • Consider the basketball pivot – stay on one leg in the same spot and turn the radius of your direction with the other foot which can feel uncomfortable.
    • The pivot change the direction of your delivery to achieve the same goal
    • Pivoting is a proactive way to reassess how to meet the needs of your community and audiences
    • Layers of pivots
      • Societal – Time to reflect on values and how archives can respond to current events through the lens of creativity, resilience, and rights. Also attention of audiences is online as screen time for U.S. audiences has increased by 1 hour in 2020.
      • Organizational – Opportunities for a brand audit that can leverage institutional and corporate archives; or in some cases, an opportunity to formalize or further build an archives
      • Career – Can be a way to involve individuals in other sectors to engage with archives; in particular for materials already digitized
    • Outcomes for successful pivots
      • Deliver on outreach initiatives amidst challenges 
      • Increase audiences and 
      • Retain, reinforce, & enhance online visibility 
  • 2. Adapting
  • Response to changing environmental conditions
    • Look to organizational and industry accountability as an opportunity to express and verify cultural legacy.
    • Look for inbound and outbound strategies to address the inability to be on-site at the office and with the collections.
      • Virtual reference
      • Virtual tours
  • Layers of adaptations
    • Societal
    • Organizational
    • Industries – Seek out best practices in other industries, especially art, travel, hospitality, events, service industries, healthcare
  • Adaptation model for traditional outreach programs are online
    • Increased extraordinary opportunities for engaging with colleagues globally, examining past practices critically, and to highlight a range of organizations actively communicating the value of archives. 
    • Many programs are recorded and made available after. 
    • Periods of adaptation reveal new opportunities for storytelling through history.
  • With the perceived value of archival labor diminished and resources denied, it is important to adapt through some self-care
    • Time management
    • Work and personal boundaries as distinction of space collapses
  • 3. Flexing
    • There are a variety of definitions for flexing, including those that may carry negative connotations.
    • Aspect of the definition to focus on:
      • Put your talents, abilities, and skills to use to support the collections. 
      • Communicate the inherent untapped potential of archives to flex the value.
      • It can be challenging to keep attention with battles for screentime, so consider how to quickly & compellingly promote your collections online and communicate the brand story 
      • As a subject expert, you may have the flexibility to access local cultural historical knowledge that can be shared globally.

Questions & Answers

Q: Do you have suggestions for making a business case for archives in a corporate setting?

A: Look for ways to align with marketing initiatives and core business activities. Consider what language is used with stakeholders – for instance, certain phrases may resonate more effectively than others (such as “legacy curation” for a wine business in place of “archives”). Think outside of the internal company to speak to and connect with larger milestones. 

Q: What language should I use to convincingly convey the value of the collections?

A: Use general language rather than rely on technical language that has limited meaning outside of the archives industry and gives any impression of elitism. Tailor your language to your audience and to think strategically for how your audience can connect to an archives. Also consider the language of numbers and metrics, mixing qualitative statistics with some qualitative narratives for researchers and other audiences who have benefited directly from the archives. 

Q: Do you have suggestions for expressing why a dedicated space for archival work is necessary?

A: Express how there is a continued value and a furthering of the initial investment in the archival materials. Be open to flexibility of multiple use spaces and developing relationships with facilities staff who maintain the properties in which the materials are housed. Develop a priority list focusing on the most fragile items for the best environment available given the resources. Reference best practices and lean into your expertise to guide discussions with other stakeholders. Calculate time and efficiences for collections being off-site without dedicated storage.

Resources

“Archival Instagram Accounts Are Teaching Forgotten Histories,” Nicole Froio – Zora, https://zora.medium.com/archival-instagram-accounts-are-teaching-forgotten-histories-b2b37c9cf52d

“Archiving Black America,” BBC Radio 4, https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000l0rc

Carhartt Heritage Camo Collection – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qj3pKqeBzEI

Collection Diversification and Community Engagement Panel – November 17, 2020.

Hosted by The Black Metropolis Research Consortium (BMRC)

https://www.facebook.com/events/355105799045768/

“Common Concerns: Video Production” – July 16, 2020. 

Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center,  Washington State Heritage Outreach. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRAW6RsSpXg

“Deriving Value from Collections in the Time of Corona (COVID-19),” sponsored by the Committee on Public Awareness, Society of American Archivists. https://youtu.be/vhK2ww1_ZR8 

“Experimental Mapping in the Central District: A Workshop with Sara Zwede” – October 21, 2020. Hosted by Wa Na Wari. 

https://www.wanawari.org/experimental-mapping.html

“Inclusive Description Working Group,” Princeton University Library Rare Books & Special Collections Technical Services, https://blogs.princeton.edu/techsvs/2020/02/28/inclusive-description-working-group/

Indigenous Interventions: Reshaping Archives and Museums – February 13, 2020.

A symposium hosted by the Field Museum, Northwestern University, and the Newberry

https://www.newberry.org/11132020-indigenous-interventions-reshaping-archives-and-museums

“Inspired By Company’s Heritage, Carhartt Reinvents Original Camo Pattern,” PR Newswire, September 14, 2020 – https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/inspired-by-companys-heritage-carhartt-reinvents-original-camo-pattern-301130180.html

Race_women Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/race_women

“Strategies for How to Capture and Communicate the Value of Collection Work,” Rachael Cristine Consulting LLC. https://youtu.be/UYgXj_XWma0 

“Resources & Toolkits,” maintained by the Committee on Public Awareness, Society of American Archivists. https://www2.archivists.org/advocacy/publicawareness/resourcesandtoolkits 

The Blackivists: https://www.theblackivists.com/

The Blackivists Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/theblackivists/

“The Durst Organization 1915-2015: Celebrating 100 Years” publication – http://bit.ly/durstcentennial

“2020 Trends: COVID Impact on Time Spent With Media,” Digital Remedy, https://www.digitalremedy.com/2020-trends-covid-impact-on-time-spent-with-media/

“Uncovering Stories Through Archival Content: Turning Old Content into New Art,” Creative Capital – https://creative-capital.org/2020/04/13/uncovering-stories-through-archival-content-turning-old-content-into-new-art/

“Virginia Mason Centennial,” https://www.virginiamason.org/centennial

“Virtual Events Are Experiences: Why Aren’t They Designed That Way?” from BlueCadet – https://www.bluecadet.com/news/virtual-events-are-experiences-why-arent-they-designed-that-way/

“Virtual Kayak Tour of Tacoma’s Waterfront,” Pretty Gritty Tours, https://www.facebook.com/prettygrittytours/videos/593195074710444

We Here: https://www.wehere.space/

“Works in Progress Webinar: This wasn’t for you yesterday, but it will be tomorrow—Digitization policy to counteract histories of exclusion” – October 1, 2020. OCLC – https://www.oclc.org/research/events/2020/100120-digitization-policy-counteract-histories-of-exclusion.html

From the Vaults — Crafting Your Archives Elevator Speech

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This series celebrates all the great information that exists in ArchivesAWARE!

This blog post originally published on March 28, 2018, seems especially necessary in today’s climate. Communicating effectively and succinctly about the value of archives is a skill we should all hone.

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This post was authored by guest contributor Anna Trammell, Archival Operations and Reference Specialist at the University of Illinois Archives Research Center/Student Life and Culture Archives, and current member of SAA’s Committee on Public Awareness (COPA).

Elevator_040611I’m at the airport waiting to board a plane when a fellow traveler strikes up a conversation. After we’ve commiserated about the shortcomings of the airlines and swapped details on destinations and reason for travel, I know what question is coming next: “So what do you do?” If you’re a new professional like me, you may remember your earlier responses to this question. Mine probably ended up somewhere between a frenetic rattling off of responsibilities and an apology. As the boarding began, I knew that my co-passenger had no idea what I did and was probably pretty certain I didn’t either.

Every encounter like this, whether it is with a stranger who you may never see again or another member of your own organization, is an opportunity to serve as an advocate for archives and archivists. We do really interesting things that will appeal to a wide variety of people. We can easily find ways to engage the public when given even the briefest opportunity to talk about our work. If I had a better response in my airport encounter, that interaction would have likely had no impact on my own position or institution. But I could have made that person aware of what archives are, what archivists do, and why our work is important. Having an effective elevator speech prepared can help make sure you clearly articulate this.

So what does a good archives elevator speech look like? Here are some tips to keep in mind as you begin to think about crafting your own brief pitch:

Skip the Details

An elevator speech should be concise (about 30-60 seconds). That doesn’t give you much time to grab the listener’s attention. Because every word counts, you won’t have time to dive into the particulars of your job. Keep it general. Hopefully, your successful speech will result in follow up questions from your listener, allowing you time to dive into more specific information about your own institution and role.

Focus On Your Listener

Consider your audience and adapt your speech accordingly. Are they wearing a Cubs baseball cap? Maybe you can grab their attention by mentioning that even sports teams rely on the work of archivists. Did they tell you that they are a student at a nearby university? Perhaps they’d be interested in the ways universities preserve student organization records or alumni papers. Listeners will remember a story, especially if it relates to their own interests. Find a way to center your speech on them.

Make it Personal

What really excites you about being an archivist? Engage your listener by sharing your enthusiasm about a particular aspect of archival work or your excitement over the ways archivists are tackling new demands in the 21st century.

SAA’s Committee on Public Awareness (COPA) created this handy guide to get you started.

Elevator-Speech-Dec2017-Final

Need more inspiration?

In 2007, SAA hosted an Elevator Speech Contest as part of American Archives Month. Lisa H. Lewis had the winning entry with this 28-word speech: “Archivists bring the past to the present. They’re records collectors and protectors, keepers of memory. They organize unique, historical materials, making them available for current and future research.”

On #AskAnArchivist Day 2017, Colleen McFarland Rademaker of the Corning Museum of Glass shared a video of her elevator speech:

Do you have an archives elevator speech? Tell us about it on Twitter using #ArchivesAWARE!

From the Vaults — Catching Pokémon: A Historically Themed Pokémon Scavenger Hunt Outreach Activity

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This series celebrates all the great information that exists in ArchivesAWARE!

This post originally published on December 12, 2016, was authored by guest contributor Meredith E. Torre, Archivist at the Atlanta Housing Authority. It describes using a Pokémon scavenger hunt to celebrate American Archives month.

torre_headshot
Photo provided by Rachel Thomas.

To celebrate October’s Archives month, the Atlanta Housing Authority (AHA) Archives recently launched a historically themed Pokémon scavenger hunt. The game was designed to celebrate some of the important people who have contributed to AHA’s history.

This outreach activity was great at eliciting responsive participation, generating conversation, and demonstrating some of the papers and records the AHA Archives holds for people valuable to our history.

assortment-of-pokemon
An assortment of Pokémon cards featuring notable individuals.

The fabrication of the game was fairly simple. The game was created entirely out of paper “Pokémon” cards, with corresponding stickers (to show how rare or common that particular Pokémon was) attached to the Pokémon, and a Pokéball or scorecard. Because the game was setup like a scavenger hunt and the score card resembled a bingo card, no knowledge of the actual Pokémon game was necessary to play the game.

The Pokémon cards consisted of biographical information for persons who are a significant part of AHA’s history—Charles F. Palmer, Dr. John Hope, Harold L. Ickes, Jesse Blayton, Clark Howell, and President Roosevelt, just to name a few—and corresponding stickers. These Pokémon were posted throughout AHA’s building. The object of the game was to locate the Pokémon (the person of historical significance) and to “catch” the Pokémon by placing the corresponding sticker onto a scorecard or your Pokéball. In the actual game of Pokémon, some Pokémon are common and some are rarer than others. We printed out less Pokémon cards for those person in our history we identified as already familiar and made them “rare”. On the contrary, we printed out more Pokémon cards for those persons perhaps less familiar and placed them in more prominent places to make them “common” and to give them more exposure.

 

pokemon-scorecard
Pokéball Scorecard

In creating the game, there are lots of Pokémon templates online to choose from. We selected a blank card template created by artist Christian England (LevelInfinitum) on Deviant Art to create our Pokémon cards and edited the images using Pixlr. We created our scorecards as a Word document and printed an image of a Pokéball on the opposite side.

We announced the Pokémon activity and posted the rules with scorecards in centralized locations. We held the game for a period of one week. There was a lot of enthusiasm for the activity and people said in hunting for the Pokémon that they really enjoyed discovering the people who make up a part of AHA’s history and learning things about them they may have not known!

susie-labord
Completed Pokémon card created for Susie Labord, AHA’s first resident commissioner.

Pokémon themed prizes were awarded in a drawing for the hunters who collected the most Pokémon and to the hunter who collected the Legendary Pokémon, AHA’s first resident commissioner, Susie LaBord.

This outreach activity was easy to coordinate, super fun, and is also easily customizable for your institution!

RESOURCES:

Pokémon templates used in this project: http://levelinfinitum.deviantart.com/art/Pokemon-Blank-Card-Templates-Basic-474601445

Artist’s profile page: http://levelinfinitum.deviantart.com/

Pixlr Editor: https://pixlr.com/

 

Have you developed an innovative outreach program at your repository? If so, please share in the comments below or contact archivesaware@archivists.org to be a guest contributor to ArchivesAWARE!

From the Vaults — Responses and Retrospectives: But I thought I was an Archivist?

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Photo provided by Rachel Thomas.

This series celebrates all the great information that exists in ArchivesAWARE!

This post originally published on May 12, 2020, challenges us to think about who we consider archivists.

This is the latest post in our series Responses and Retrospectives, which features archivists’ personal responses and perspectives concerning current or historical events/subjects with significant implications for the archives profession. Interested in contributing to Responses and Retrospectives?  Please email the editor at archivesaware@archivists.org with your ideas!

Rachel Thomas, MA, is the University Archivist at George Fox University in Newberg, Oregon. She is passionate about the archival profession and opening the field to new professionals from all walks. Thomas is a member of Society of American Archivists and Northwest Archivists and recently served on the inaugural Northwest Archivists Archivist-in-Residence committee which is dedicated to working on the problem of unpaid internships in the archival profession. Linkedin profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-thomas-5b21b38a

Six year ago I walked into my first professional gathering of archivists. As a lone arranger, I was excited to meet some of my colleagues. It was an unconference, inviting members of our profession to gather and discuss some of the issues surrounding our work. As the evening began, talk quickly turned to archives certification and qualifications. What makes an archivist and archivist? We gathered into groups to discuss this. I was excited to share my background and how I came to the field and hear how others entered this field I love.

However, as soon as we sat down, one of the members of my group said, “If you don’t have an MLIS, you are not an archivist. We have to have some standards!”

I was floored. I didn’t have an MLIS. I had just been hired by a university I respected, I had completed a MA in Early American and United States History, I had apprenticed in a large, well known, respected archive under a leader in the profession, I had worked for four years as an archive assistant at another university. I knew DACS, processing, other archival ethics and standards. I was a member of SAA and my regional association. I didn’t have my MLIS, but I was an archivist, wasn’t I?

As the discussion continued I found my voice. I expressed that I believed that being an archivist is about following the ethics and practices of the profession, not based on a certain set of letters behind a name. I shared examples of devoted archivists who had come to the field with no professional training. Some agreed with me, others held the position that the MLIS should always be required. The original speaker did not back down, she told me that she was sorry, but I didn’t belong in the field. According to her there were too many “non-professionals” calling themselves archivists and taking jobs from real archivists.

Eventually the night moved onto other topics. I learned a lot from colleagues in the room. I was able to network and build some contacts, learn about opportunities to serve in my regional professional organization. It was a successful evening by all accounts, however, I left doubting myself, hit hard with imposter syndrome.

A few years later and a few years wiser, I know that I am an archivist. I know I belong to the profession, and I know I bring value to my work. I have learned to appreciate my ability to think outside of the box, and largely credit it to the alternate route I took into the field. However, I still generally advise interns and students desiring to enter the field to pursue an MLIS. I know that it will prepare them well for the workplace, and I know that it has become a requirement for most positions in the field. I want them to be able to find work.

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Photograph provided by Rachel Thomas.

At the same time, I want to challenge our profession to broaden their understanding of how one can become an archivist. I think we need to lean into the value of divergent perspectives brought by alternate education and career paths. We need to come to an understanding that the MLIS is not the only way to enter into our field. Other education and career paths can help us approach problems differently, they can help us develop new solutions, creative ideas, and the ability to diversify our collections and practices to fit a broader cross section of society. Employers must reconsider whether or not requiring the MLIS is unnecessarily limiting their applicant panel, disqualifying candidates who could bring new strengths and experience to the position. Archivists must check their assumptions about their colleagues. We must seek to be inclusive, not only in our collections, but among our colleagues.

This story does have a happy ending. At a recent conference I had a chance to have a heart to heart with one of the archival leaders in our region. He had been working as an archivist for decades and had received recognition at regional and national levels for his contributions. Everyone knew his name. I mentioned that sometimes I thought we were too focused on degrees in our field. That much of the work could be learned in other ways. That I had struggles with imposter syndrome because of my MA. He laughed, and said, “Guess I don’t belong in the field then! I only have a bachelor’s degree!”

This post was written by Rachel Thomas, MA. The opinions and assertions stated within this piece are the author’s alone, and do not represent the official stance of the Society of American Archivists. COPA publishes response posts with the sole aim of providing additional perspectives, context, and information on current events and subjects that directly impact archives and archivists.

From the Vaults — Public Relations and Marketing for Archives: An Interview with Peter Wosh

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This series celebrates all the great information that exists in ArchivesAWARE!

This interview originally published on May 2, 2016, is one of the most popular posts on the blog. 

Wosh2011

 Among the resources in SAA’s advocacy toolkit is Public Relations and Marketing for Archives: A How-To-Do-It Manual (2011), edited by Peter Wosh and R. James and co-published by SAA and Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc. Today we bring you an interview with Peter Wosh, Professor of History and Director of the Archives/Public History Program at New York University. In this interview with David Carmicheal, Peter revisits the book and discusses the ways it relates to current advocacy efforts.

David: What prompted the book in 2011? Was there an event that brought advocacy to SAA’s attention?

Peter: Back when I was publications editor for SAA [2007-2013] the Publications Committee regularly scanned the literature to identify gaps, and we discovered that SAA’s last real advocacy book had been published in 1994 (Advocating archives: An introduction to public relations for archivists, by Elsie Freeman Finch).  Our scan of journals also showed very little literature about advocacy. There was much more archival writing on technical topics. Then, too, by 2011 archivists had become much more conscious about how central to our work advocacy is and how we need to spend more time on it. So the time was right for that book.

How do public relations and marketing relate to advocacy? Are they the same thing?

They relate, but I think of advocacy as a much broader concept that incorporates marketing and public relations. The public relations and marketing book focuses on how archives relate to user communities—primarily external communities—and how to make your archives more visible by using new technologies. This kind of marketing doesn’t include, for example, political advocacy. Advocacy includes internal audiences, which marketing and PR don’t generally consider.

When we decided to revise the Archival Fundamentals series (Archival Fundamentals III is due to be published in 2017) we thought it important to include a specific volume about Advocacy (being authored by Kathleen Roe) because the publications board thought it was so vital to what we do and had to be more encompassing than marketing and PR.

Advocacy versus marketing—do archivists favor one over the other?

I think they are more comfortable serving more traditional research communities and are still in the process of developing tools to promote themselves and their place in their particular institutions. To some extent archivists are also still hesitant to enter the public sphere of debate when archival issues come to the fore, though that is getting much better. I think it’s hard to mobilize the archival community around issues. Professional associations like SAA and CoSA take a stand on key issues, but I wonder how many people really take a personal responsibility to advocate. Advocacy needs to be sustained and ongoing and not just crisis management. We are better at responding to threats, but successful advocacy is being there all the time and promoting yourself in a constructive way 365 days a year.

How do we turn archivists into advocates?

Advocacy isn’t built enough into archival training and education. Archivists are good at standards and best practices and applying rules and regulations, and that has been the emphasis of our education and professional literature to a great extent. We don’t necessarily need individual courses in advocacy but every course should incorporate advocacy—how does what you’re learning in this course helps you express the importance of what archivists do. It needs to become part of our everyday lives.

Do you have an advocacy success or failure in your career that is instructive?

When I was at the American Bible Society I would ask myself what are the big issues facing the organization I work for and can I put together historical background papers to send to the Vice President or others that might show them the value of the archives. They responded well to my taking existing information and packaging it in a way that was meaningful to them.

When I was an Archdiocesan archivist it was a time when making church records open was a new idea, and many officials were nervous about who might be using the records. I would send them user reports (not just statistical) that included stories about how lives were touched by the archives. By talking about the range of users I was able to demonstrate that making the records available was actually supporting their larger mission to help parishioners and people in general.

I would say, finally, that just doing your job strategically is a form of advocacy. Doing the job well communicates the value of what we do in a quiet way.